Bugs Henderson Passes Away. A Great Man and A True Artist
Bugs Henderson has been a Texas Blues Legend for over 50 Years. Eric Clapton would fly in just to watch Bugs Henderson play in Dallas. Bugs has influenced so many guitar players that the list is endless.
Born in Palm Springs, California January, 1,1943 and passed away on March,9, 2012 at the age of 69.
He began playing guitar at the age of 6 and at 16 joined longtime friend Ronnie Weiss and formed Mouse and the Traps in Tyler, Texas. Mouse and the Trapps had several Chart Busting hits in the 60's including "Public Execution" in 1966
As a house guitarist at the Robin Hood Studios, he played demo sessions behind numerous performers from country to rock.
"Blues was all that mattered to me; no other music was worth a damn." During this time, Bugs moved from Tyler to Dallas in order to join the scene of a bar called The Cellar. "It's really hard to explain that place," Henderson remembers. "It was this big, black room. It had a red light that came on when the cops were coming in and another light for fights. The waitresses wore just bras and panties, but they ran three or four bands in a night and everybody played original music. We usually didn't leave until four in the morning, and there was no other place like it around. It was the best thing that happened to my music. I learned a lot."
Bugs went from small clubs to playing on stage opening for artists such as the Allman Brothers, B.B King, and Leon Russell. Henderson described it as "a big change."
Bugs and his love for blues got tired of the wide-open riff-oriented rock, and friend Freddie King began pushing for Henderson to start his own band. Bugs then assembled his first record "At Last" released on succession of 14 albums spanning over four decades.
Success and it's spoils began wreaking havoc on Bugs' life in the late 1970s. Bugs took time to take a good hard look at where his life was and where it was going. "Most of the people I ran with are dead, in jail, or just look terrible. With God's help and good friends, I came out of it, "Henderson says. Bugs Henderson lived in East Texas with his wife Patty and daughter Zoey. "The order of importance in his life is simple: Family, Music, Career. Bugs explains, "I couldn't have the life I have now and be a major star. Couldn't go to my kids' ball games. I wouldn't give up that for anything."
Bugs played with guitar icons such as B.B. King, Freddie King, Eric Clapton, Ted Nugent, Roy Buchanan, and James Burton. To this day, Bugs' guitar hangs in Hard Rock Cafe' in Dallas along side instruments donated by Lee Ritenouer and Chet Atkins.
"I tell people all the time that I know you're supposed to stop and smell the roses as you go though life, but in my case I stopped and moved into the garden." -Bugs Henderson
Bugs had recorded a dvd for True Fire and recently did an instructional DVD for www.Dangerousguitar.com . Bugs talks about his life and experiences and how he thinks. Just watching you become a fan of music all over again.
You can see a clip from that DVD here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwCmhKrT7Dc
Bugs will be sadly missed
Born in Palm Springs, California January, 1,1943 and passed away on March,9, 2012 at the age of 69.
He began playing guitar at the age of 6 and at 16 joined longtime friend Ronnie Weiss and formed Mouse and the Traps in Tyler, Texas. Mouse and the Trapps had several Chart Busting hits in the 60's including "Public Execution" in 1966
As a house guitarist at the Robin Hood Studios, he played demo sessions behind numerous performers from country to rock.
"Blues was all that mattered to me; no other music was worth a damn." During this time, Bugs moved from Tyler to Dallas in order to join the scene of a bar called The Cellar. "It's really hard to explain that place," Henderson remembers. "It was this big, black room. It had a red light that came on when the cops were coming in and another light for fights. The waitresses wore just bras and panties, but they ran three or four bands in a night and everybody played original music. We usually didn't leave until four in the morning, and there was no other place like it around. It was the best thing that happened to my music. I learned a lot."
Bugs went from small clubs to playing on stage opening for artists such as the Allman Brothers, B.B King, and Leon Russell. Henderson described it as "a big change."
Bugs and his love for blues got tired of the wide-open riff-oriented rock, and friend Freddie King began pushing for Henderson to start his own band. Bugs then assembled his first record "At Last" released on succession of 14 albums spanning over four decades.
Success and it's spoils began wreaking havoc on Bugs' life in the late 1970s. Bugs took time to take a good hard look at where his life was and where it was going. "Most of the people I ran with are dead, in jail, or just look terrible. With God's help and good friends, I came out of it, "Henderson says. Bugs Henderson lived in East Texas with his wife Patty and daughter Zoey. "The order of importance in his life is simple: Family, Music, Career. Bugs explains, "I couldn't have the life I have now and be a major star. Couldn't go to my kids' ball games. I wouldn't give up that for anything."
Bugs played with guitar icons such as B.B. King, Freddie King, Eric Clapton, Ted Nugent, Roy Buchanan, and James Burton. To this day, Bugs' guitar hangs in Hard Rock Cafe' in Dallas along side instruments donated by Lee Ritenouer and Chet Atkins.
"I tell people all the time that I know you're supposed to stop and smell the roses as you go though life, but in my case I stopped and moved into the garden." -Bugs Henderson
Bugs had recorded a dvd for True Fire and recently did an instructional DVD for www.Dangerousguitar.com . Bugs talks about his life and experiences and how he thinks. Just watching you become a fan of music all over again.
You can see a clip from that DVD here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwCmhKrT7Dc
Bugs will be sadly missed